Power supply system for selfpropelled vehicles



May 19, 1953 H. H. vANDERzEE 2,638,996

PowER SUPPLY SYSTEM PoP` SELF-PROPEELED VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l TO RIGHT FRONT TO L. EFT FRONT 'My 19; 1953` H. H. vANDERzEE 2,638,996

POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR` SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 u I u azi?.

May 19,' 1953 H. H. vANDERzl-:E 2,638,996

PowER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w -vyf v l..

'May 19, 1953 H. H. vANDE'RvzEE 2,638,996

POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STAT POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR SELF- PROPELLED VEHICLES Harry H. Vanderzee, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Original application January 9, 1945, Serial No. 571,991, now Pat-ent No. 2,593,367, dated April 15, 1952. Divided and this application January 2S, 1947, Serial No. 724,766

"to'rvehicles having fluid operated propelling means and fluid operated reel-rotating means operable from :a common source of fluid pressure.

In mining equipment such as mining machines used in coal mines, a reeling mechanism isusually'associated with the mining machine for winding in and permitting the drawing oi of the elemen-t which conducts power to the mining machine as the latter travels back land forth. As the mining machine moves forwardly from the main entry into aroom, the power conductor elementis desirably freely unwound from the reeling mechanism, and, as the mining machine backsfrom the room toward the main entry, the power conductor element is automatically wound .in by the reeling mechanism. In the application,

Serial No. 578,084, filed February 15, 1945, of Clyde P. Baldwin and myself, which application is a division of our earlier filed abandoned application Serial No. 378,728, led February 13, 1941, and which vapplication Serial No. 578,084 has now matured intoPatent No. 2,562,881, there has been disclosed a hydraulicallyA driven mining machine in which the cable reel is driven by a hydraulic motor through whichV and through a machine propulsion motor operating fluid passes in series as the machine moves towards a point of'attachment of the cable, and in which the reel driving motor receives no operating uid and has its supply and discharge connections directly connected to each other when the machine moves in theopposite direction. In that construction the tension applicable tothe cable was controlled only by a slip clutch in the reel drive, and there was no provision for enabling reel driving when the machine was moving rearwardly.

An object of the present invention is to provide a iiuid propelled vehicle having uid operated reeling mechanism, embodying improvements over the mechanism of said joint application and all other combinations of vehicle wheel :and cable reel propulsion mechanisms of which I am aware. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved iiuid propelled vehicle having fluid operated reeling mechanism in which while there is provided mechanism for the power winding in ci cable when the vehicle is moving in a. given direction, there is also provided means under operator control 'by which cable may be drawn on at will during such movement of the vehicle. A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved fluid propelled vehicle having uid operated reeling mechanism in which provision is made for the stalling of the reel drive or its actual reverse rotation due to the tension (excessive) of the cable,v without the use of fricy tion clutches and by virtue of the provision of proved control valve means associated with they uid circuits whereby power reel drive may be interrupted by operator intervention at 'a time when automatic controls normally cause reel drive, and further having such improved valve means so constructed and arranged that the reel driving motor` may either stall, or be factually caused to turn backwards due to the tension o-r torque exerted on, the reel by the cable, when the resistance to. winding in of the cable exceeds predetermined values. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, here, ina-iter more fully appear.

in the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rear portionof a vehicle, herein a coal mining` machine, in which the invention is incorporated in its illustrative Iorm. i

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the rearwardl portion of the mining machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, on a reduced scale, of the complete mining machine.

Fig. l is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 4-6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the control valver element.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view, slightly enlarged, taken substantially on line 8 3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on line 9.-9 of Fig. 4. i 1 ,E

Figs. l0 and ll are sectional views similar to Fig. 9, showing the control valve indifferent. positions.

Fig. l2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of Fig. 8, showing the control valve manually held in its by-passing position.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the hydraulic system.

In this illustrative construction, the improved power conductor reeling mechanism is shown associated with a coal mining machine of the kerf cutting type, although it will be evident that the same may be associated with other types of mining or other equipment. The coal mining machine disclosed herein is of the rubber-tired universal type, especially designed for use in trackless coal mines, and may be generally similar to that shown in the above mentioned application `Serial No. 378,728, iiled February 13, 1941, vand in Letters Patent No. 2,562,881 granted August 7, 1951, in each of which I am one of the co-inventors. While the machine disclosed is mounted on rubber-tired wheels adapted to travel along the floor of a mine without the aid of a guiding trackway, it will be obvious that the same matr be provided with track engaging wheels or with endless traction treads in manners well known to those skilled in the art.

The coal mining machine disclosed herein comprises a portable base frame mounted on rubber-tired wheels including front traction Wheels 2 and rear steering wheels 3. Supported by the base frame and projecting forwardly therefrom is an elongated supporting structure r boom frame 4 carrying at its outer extremity an elongated plane kerf cutter 5. The boom frame 4 is mounted on the base frame to swing in horizontal and vertical directions with respect thereto in the manner fully described in the copending application above referred to, and includes an outer frame E rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally or the boom frame and a support l mounted on the rotatable frame B for tilting movement with respect thereto about an axisI disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the boom frame; `and. the kerf cutter is pivotally mounted on the cutter support 'l to swing relative thereto about an axis at right angles to the axis of cutter support tilt. By adjusting the boom frame 4 either horizontally or vertically, by rotating the frame 5 and tilting the cutter support l, the kerf cutter 5 may be located in any desired cutting position with respect to the working face of a coal seam, all in the manner fully described in the last above mentioned copending application. As is also fully described in the above mentioned copending application, the various adjustable parts of the mining machine are hydraulically operated and controlled, and the iront traction wheels are independently driven by conventional reversible hydraulic motors 8, 8.

The hydraulic system of the mining machine, as shown in Fig. 13, which may be noted to be made after the nature of a top plan View so that l certain parts appear diierently from their disclosure in Figs. 9, 1 0 and 1l, embodies a liquid pumping means 9 driven by a motor I9. In passing, it may be noted that the kerf cutter is driven by a motor il carried by the boom frame 4, as fully described in the above mentioned copending joint application. Carried by the mining machinev is a valve box i2 containing manually operable valve devices for controlling the various hydraulically operated devices of the machine, and the valve device i3 controls the supply from a smaller pump, hereinafter described, to the traction wheel driving motors t, while the valve device lli controls the operation of the power conductor reeling mechanism, so far as this is effected by fluid from such smaller pump, as hereinafter explained.

Now referring to the improved power conductor reeling mechanism, it will be noted that journaled for rotation on a vertical axis in a relatively low horizontal position on the rearward portion of the portable base frame, as shown in Figs, 1 and 2, is a power conductor reel l5, on which a power conductor element i5 is wound, this conductor element conducting motive power to the motors i9 and of the mining machine. The motors I9 and are herein preferably electric motors, and the power conductor element I6 is herein in the form of an electric cable for conducting electricity to the electric motors, and the conductor cable is connected in a well-known manner through usual contactor devices to conductor cables leading to the motors. Evidently, if desired, the mining machine motors may be fluid actuated and the power conductor cable on the reel may be replaced by a fluid supply hose.

The cable reel l5 may be driven in a direction to wind in the power conduct-cr cable I6 by a hydraulic motor 20 (Figs. 4 and 5) comprising intermeshing rotors 2| journaled on parallel vertical axes within a casing 22, the latter being suspended by a bracket 23 from a horizontal top plate 24 of the machine base frame. Keyed to the upper end of one of the rotor shafts, as shown in Fig. 4, is a chain sprocket 25 connected by an endless drive chain 23 to a sprocket 2'| suitably fixed to the reel drive shaft. The bracket 23 is secured by bolts 25 to the plate 24, and the plate is slotted to permit horizontal adjustment of the bracket when the bolts are loosened. Set screws 29 are provided for adjusting the bracket together with the motor casing with respect to the reel so that the chain 29 may have its tension adjusted as desired. After proper adjustment has been made, the bolts 28 may be tightened to secure the parts rmly in adjusted position.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 8, the reel driving motor 20 has a liquid supply chamber v39 and a liquid exhaust chamber 3|. Attached by screws 32 to the bottom of the motor casing 22 is a valve casing 33 having a horizontal bore 34 containing a control valve 35 of an improved design. The walls of the bore 34 are annularly grooved at 36, 31, 38 and 39, at longitudinally spaced points, and the intermediate grooves 3T and 38 are respectively connected by passages 49 and 4| `to the liquid supply and exhaust chambers 230 and 3| of the motor. Communicating with the end grooves 33 and 39 are passages 42 and 43, connected respectively to conduits 44 and 45; and these conduits lead to the valve device |4 of the valve box I2 (Fig. 13). The valve 35 is of the sliding spool type and has end spools 41 and 43 and an intermediate spool 49, and has grooves G1 and G2 respectively between the spools 41 and 49 and between the spools 48 and 49; and projecting outwardly from the left-hand spool 4B (Figs. '7 and 8) is a reduced portion 50 threaded at 5| to receive an adjusting nut 52. The left-hand spool 48 is grooved at 53 longitudinally of the valve at spaced points about its periphery, and the groove 39 `is countersunk at 39 around the bore 34, at its left-hand side, so that in certain positions of the control valve 35 the grooves 53 open into the groove 39, as shown in Fig. 1l. A washer 54 surrounds the reduced portion 50 and is engageable with the outer end surface of the spool 48 in the manner shown in Fig. 8, and this washer has spaced projections 55 engageable with a surface 56 surrounding the left-hand end of the valve receiving bore 34. Interposed between the washer 54 and the nut 52 and surrounding the reduced valve portion 50 is a coil spring 51 for urging the washer toward the outer end surface of the valve spool 48. This nut 52 may be adjusted with respect to the valve to vary the tension of the coil spring 51. When the valve v35 moves toward the right into the position shown in Fig. 9, the washer projections 55engage 'the surface 56, and further movement of the valve toward the right, i. e., toward the position shown in Fig. 11, is resisted by the spring 51. Interposed between a surface 58 on the valve casing and the washer 54 and surrounding the spring 51 is a spring 58a which tends to hold the valve 35 in the neutral or `central position shown in Fig. i8. For manually shifting the valve 35 toward the left, from 'the position shown in Fig. 8 into the position shown in Fig. 12, there is provided a plunger 59 coaxial with the valve and having an inner head 6G -engageable with the right-hand end of the valve. This plunger proj ects outwardly through a stufling box 5l from the valve casing and is pivctally connected at 82 to an operating lever 6-3, the latter in turn being pivotally connected by a loose link 64 to the valve casing. An operating shaft 55 is pivotally connected at 66 to the operating lever, and this shaft is guided in a tubular casing 61 secured at 68 to thebottom of the valve casing. The shaft 65 may be actuated through a conventional exible shaft or Bowden wire 69 by an operating rod 1Q located at the top of the machine base frame in adjacency to the valve box l2, as shown in Fig. 1.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig.v 13, the pumping means 9 includes a large capacity pump 12 and a small capacity pump 13, and the pump intakes are connected by a suction line 14 to a liquid vtank 15 carried by the machine base frame beneath the valve box I2. The small pump discharge is connected by a pressure line 16 to the supply passage of the valve box l2. The exhaust or return passage of the valve box l2 is connected by a return line 11 back to the tank. The discharge of the large capacity pump is connected by a pressure line 18 to a relief valve device 19. When the pressure in the line 18 becomes excessive, the relief valve device automatically connects the line 18 to a return line 88 leading to the tank. The pressure line 18 is connected to a four-Way valve device 8l, also fully described in the labove mentioned copending application, and which is connected by a conduit 82 and branch conduits 83 and 84 to the traction wheel driving motors 8 at one side of the latter. Also leading from the four-way valve device 8l is a conduit 85 connected by a branch conduit 8S to the motor 8 shown near the top of Fig. 13, and through a branch conduit 81 to the conduit 45. The other side of the other wheel driving motor '8, shown in Fig. 13, is connected by a conduit 88 to the conduit 44. The conduits 82 and 85 are connected by branch conduits 89 and 89" to the valve device I3. The four-way valve device 8i is connected by a return line 90 back to the tank. As shown in Fig. 4, the reel driving motor 2@ has a leak passage 9l to carry away any leakage of liquid, and the wheel driving motors 8 vhave similar leak passages. These lleak passages are severally connected by branch conduits 92, '93 and 94 (see valso Fig. .13) to the return line 11 'so 'that any liquid leaking through these motors is conducted back to the tank.

The general Vmode of operation of the improved power conductor reeling mechanism is as follows: When the mining machine is .to be propelled ina forward direction, for instance, from the main entry into a room, the free end of the conductor cable I5 is attached in the usual manner to the 6, trolley line or lines, or to trolley line and rail in the main entry, and the four-way valve device 8l is positioned to supply liquid under pressure from the large pump 12 through the pressure line 18 and past the suitably adjusted four-way valve to the conduit and branch conduit 86 to the upper one of the wheel driving motors 8, shown in Fig. 13, to effect forward propulsion. Concurrently, liquid under pressure flows through conduit 81 to conduit 45 and through passage 43 (see Fig. 10) to the valve receiving bore 34 at the right-hand end of the valve 35 and past the latter, which will then be displaced by the liquid to the position of Fig. 10, to passage 42 and conduit 4S and through conduits 44 and 88 to the supply side for forward propulsion of the bottom wheel driving motor 8, shown in Fig. 13. As a result, the motors 8 are concurrently operated `in a direction to eiect propulsion of a mining machine in a forward direction, i. e., to the left as viewed in Fig. 3. The discharge sides lof the wheel driving motors 8 are connected through the branch conduits 83 and 84, conduit 82, through the four-way valve device 8I and return line 90 back to the tank 15. During' such forward propulsion of the mining machine, the valve 35 is in the position shown in Fig. 10 so that the supply and exhaust passages til and di of the reel driving motor 28 are connected together by the valve 35, and, as a result, the liquid within the reel driving motor 2i) may be freely circulated and thereby permit the conductor cable to freely unwind. from the cable reel as the mining machine moves forwardly.

`When it is desired to reverse the direction of movement of the mining machine, i. e., to back the machine out of the room in a direction toward the right in Fig. 3, the four-way valve device 8l is adjusted to connect the conduit 82 with the pressure line 18 and to connect the conduit 85 with the return line 58, and, with the four-way valve device .so positioned, liquid under pressure may flow from the large pump 12 through the pressure line 18 through the four-way valve device and through the conduit 82 and branch conduits 83 and tit to the wheel driving motors -S to operate the latter in a reverse direction. EX- haust from the motor ii near the top of Fig. 13 flows freely back to the tank 15 through conduits 85 and 55, the valve device 3l and conduit 90. Concurrently, the exhaust side of the motor 8, shown .at yabout the vertical center of Fig. 13, is connected by conduit 88 and conduit d to the passage d2 v(see Fig. 9). The liquid in the passage i2 ilovvs to the left-hand end of the valve casing 3.3 and acts on the left-hand end of the valve 35 to move the latter toward the right from the position shown 'in Fig. 9 towards the position shown in ll, Fluid may then pass, as later more fully described, to the groove 31, and effect reel drive in a winding direction. When the by--pass valve '35 is moved by the pressure of the liquid far enough towards the right (Fi-g. l1 shows `the extreme right position of the valve), the grooves 53 in the leit-hand valve spool i8 connect the passage 42 rwith the passage t3 so that some of the liquid may flow past the valve 35 to discharge. This event takes place when the volume of liquid flow through the passage til to the reel driving motor 2i) is substantially less than that flowing to the valve casing through the conduit Ml, to enable some off the liquid flowing to the valve casing to by-pass the valve to discharge. Liquid under pressure at this time normally ilows through passage 42 past the valve 35 between the 7. spools 4l' and 49, through groove 31 and passage 40 to the supply chamber 30 of the reel driving motor 25, thereby causing the cable reel to be driven in a direction to wind in the conductor cable as the mining machine moves rearwardly. The exhaust from the reel driving motor 2U at this time flows through passage 4I, through groove 38, past the valve 35 between the spools 49 and 48, through groove 39 and passage 43 to conduit 45 and thence to conduits 81 and 85, through the four-way valve device 8l, and through return line 93 vback to the tank. The exhaust from the upper wheel driving motor 8, shown in Fig. 13, is concurrently conducted, as above noted, through conduits 85 and 85, the four-way valve device, and the return line 90, to the tank. It is accordingly evident that when the mining machine is propelled in a forward direction by the wheel driving motors 8, the control valve 35 moves under the action of the liquid automatically into a position to effect free circulation of liquid. through the reel driving motor so that the conductor cable may be freely unwound from the cable reel; and, when the mining machine is propelled in a rearward direction by the wheel driving motors, the reel driving motor 2i] concurrently eiects drive of the cable reel in a direction to wind in the conductor cable. If it be desired to enable free unwinding of the conductor cable while the mining machine is stationary, or, if it be desired to unwind the conductor cable during rearward movement of the mining machine, this may be accomplished simply by actuating the control rod 'Hl to swing the lever 63 in a direction to move the plunger 53 inwardly, i. e., to the left as viewed in Fig. 8, manually to shift the valve 35 to the position shown in Fig.

2 wherein the liquid in the reel driving motor is free to circulate, permitting-the conductor cable to be freely drawn oi as desired. Note that in the valve position of Fig. 12, fluid passing through pipe 44 into passage 42 may flow into passage 43 and to pipe 45 and so permit the lower motor 8 of Fig. 13 to exhaust, and so to operate.

When the conduits 32 and 85 are both closed by the four-way valve device 8|, the valve device I3 may be manually operated to supply liquid under pressure from the small pump 'I3 through the pressure line I5 to the valve box I2 and through conduit 33, conduit 82 and branch conduits 83 and 84 to the wheel driving motors 8, to move the machine backwards, and concurrently, the reel driving motor 2U is operated to drive the reel in cable winding direction. Also the valve device I3 may be manipulated to supply liquid under pressure from the small pump to the wheel driving motors to effect forward propulsion of the machine, and at that time the liquid in the reel motor is automatically bypassed by the valve 35 to permit free unwinding f the cable from the reel. When the machine is stationary, the valve device I4 may be employed. to effect rotation of the reel to wind in the cable. The motors 8 will not be operated, and the grooves 53 will, as valve 35 is automatically adjusted, vent all pressure above some predetermined value suited to eiect reel drive with the desired torque.

Since the conduits B2 and 85 are respectively joined by the conduits 89 and 89', it will be evident that the large capacity pump 'l2 and the small capacity pump 'i3 may be used together to supply fluid for the propulsion and other functions performable by fluid from the pump I2 alone.

When the vehicle is being propelled in a socalled rearward directionthe direction in which it normally has the reel operated in a winding direction, and it goes past the mouth of a passageway out of which the cable extends from a point of connection with a source of current-normally the operator will operate the lever 63 and move the control valve 35 to the position of Fig. 12, and thus permit the cable to be pulled off of the reel freely, notwithstanding that the machine continues to travel in a direction in which cable would normally be wound in. Should he fail to do this, however, it is to be noted that, notwithstanding the absence of a slip clutch between the reel and its driving motor, the cable would not be ruined, because the reel driving motor would automatically be driven backwards as cable is pulled oli of the reel, and would act as a pump, and the fluid it would circulate when so driven backwards would simply pass from groove 38 through the motor (operating as a pump), back to groove 37, through the latter into passage 42 and through the notches 53 which would then probably be opened very wide due to the additional quantity of fluid that would be passing.

Again it may be noted that if the traction wheels lost traction so that fluid was supplied to the reel driving motor in a direction to wind up the cable without, however, advance of the vehicle creating slack which could be wound in, injury to the cable would be prevented because the reel driving motor would simply stall and the fluid that would otherwise pass through it would go directly through the notches 53 to the passage 43 and the pipe 45.

it may further be noted that in order to permit the reel drive to be effected at an adequate, but not excessive, rate, there will desirably be some escape of fluid during rearward propulsion through the grooves 53 and any time the vehicle is moving rearwardly at a material angle to the direction of the taut cable, more fluid must be by-passed through the grooves 53 than when the path of the vehicle and the lead of the cable are in the same direction; also any time the relation between the lead of the cable and the path of the machine becomes such that, with the reel tending to wind in the cable, the cable must be lengthened to permit the machine to follow such path, then the reel driving motor will be driven backwards and any iiuid it then pumps, plus the fluid from the propulsion motor theretofore in series with it, must pass through the notches. Referring again to the situation when some fluid passes through the reel driving motor and some is by-passed through the grooves 53, it willv be evident that as the one flow is increased the other flow is diminished, and vice versa. The flows through these two courses therefore vary inversely.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that I have provided an improved hydraulically propelled, hydraulic reel equipped vehicle having improved arrangements for preventing damage to the flexible power conducting element, having improved means for permitting paying out of cable when the vehicle is stationary or moving in a direction in which winding in of the cable would normally take place, and having improved manually and automatically controlled valve mechanism associated with the wheel and reel propulsion fluid circuits providing for controls not heretofore attained so far as I am advised.

This application is a division .ofmy application Serial No. 571,991, led January 9, 1945 for Reeling Mechanism, which application has matured into Patent No. 2,593,367, granted April 15, 1952.

While there is in this application specincally described one .form which the invention mayas.- sume in practice, it Will he understood that this form of the saine is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may he modied and embodied in various other forms Without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims. y

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f

l. In combination, in a fluid propelled vehicle, iluid operated propelling means, a pump for supplying operating iiuid to said propelling means, said pump having'a driving motor, a reel having thereon a cable by which operating medium for said motor is transmitted to the latter, iiuid'operated reel rotating and means 'for effecting serial now of operating duid through said fluid operated propelling means andthrough said reel rotating means and for effecting the automatic 'by-passing of the major portion oi the'luid passing through said propelling means Without entern ing the reel rotating means when resistance to reel rotation exceeds a predetermined amount, said last mentioned means including a valve controlling fluid ley-passing, means for subjecting vit to the fluid through said propelling means to provide a valve shifting force, and yieldable means for opposing suoli force.

2. In an apparatus of the character described,

the combination comprising a portable base, a

pump on said hase having an intake and a discharge, driving means for said pump, a conductor for conducting operating medium to said driving means, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulicdriving motor for Said reel having supply and exhaust connections, propelling means for said 'base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a sump, a connection from said sump to the intake of said pump, and means for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge lof said pump in series through said motors and back to the sump, thereby efecting propulsion motor drive in one direction, r conducting fluid from the pump discharge through said propulsion motor only, in a direction to efect drive thereof in an opposite direction, and back to the sump, while interconnecting the supply and yexhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means including a valve casing having a valve-receiving here with WhichA the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor connect at mutually spaced points, iluid conduits each connecting one end of the bore freely with the bore at a point spaced from both endsA of the latter, said last mentioned points being spaced from each other `and having between them the spaced points of connection of the Areel driving motor supply and exhaust, and other conduits, selectively serving as iluid supply or fluid exhaust conduits, connected one With each vof saidA rst mentioned conduits, the valve in said bore positionahle to interconnect the supply and exhaust connections ol the reel driving motor, and, in other positions, to conduct all the fluid from the pump discharge to the reel driving motor, or only part thereof to the reel driving motor and the rest to the sump.

.3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprisinga portable-base, a pump on said base having an intake'and .a-discharged by said pump through said motQrS in series .or all thereof through one of said motors and in part through the other and part past the other, and in each case back to the sump, thereby eecting propulsion motor drive in one direction and reel drive in a winding direction, or conducting fluid from the pump discharge through said propulsion motor only, in a direction to eiiect drive thereof in an opposite direction, and back to the sump, While interconnecting fthe supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means includ ing a Valve element having therein a conduit which alternatively, in different positionsof said valve element, interconnects the supply and exhaust connections of the reel driving motor and. conducts fluid to said reel driving motor .and a conduit for by-passing a portion of the fluid W@- ing towards the reel driving motor.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable hase, profpelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump having an intake and a discharge, a driving motorior said pump, a conductor for conducting operating rnedium to said driving motor, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel yhaving supply and exhaust connections, asump, a connection from said sump to the intake of .sa-id pump, and means for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge of said pump in seriesthrough said propulsion motor in one direction and through said reel driving .motor and hack .to the sump or for conducting :duid from said vpump discharge through said propulsion motor only. and in the opposite direction through the lat-ter, and back to the sump, while interconnecting vthe supplyand exhaust connections of saidreel ,drive ing motor, said last mentioned means .includ-ing `a valve automatically shifted by i'lliid pressure to positions in Which fluid respectively is and not supplied to said reel driving mOitor, and haii/'- ing manual means associated W-ith it for shifting it from a position in which fluid is supplied. to said reel driving motorto a position in which the supply and exhaust connections ofsaid motor are interconnected,

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including .a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump having .an intake Vand a discharge, a driving motor forsai pump,fa conductor for conducting .operating medium to said driving motor, a reel for said 10.0171- ductor, a hydraulic driving motor for .sa-id reel having supply and exhaust connections, .asuma a connection from said sump to the intake of said pump, means for selectively conducting fluidfrorn the'discharge of said pump through said .propule sion motor and. in part through said reel .driving motor and back to the sump andin part past said reel driving motor and back tothe sump, `orlfor conducting fluid from said pump kdischarge through said propulsion motor only, and intheopposite direction through the latter, and backto .the sump While interconnecting the supply and ex-l.

haust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means including valve means having oppositely facing areas associated therewith, means for normally yieldingly maintaining said valve means in a position preventing flow past the same in either direction, and means for subjecting said areas to the opposite flows of fluid relative to said propulsion motor.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, p ropelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic'propulsion motor, a pump having an intake and a discharge, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor for conducting operating inedium to said driving motor, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, a connection from said sump to the intake of said pump, means for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge of said pump in one direction through said propulsion motor and in part through said reel driving motor and backto the sump and, concurrently, in part past said reel driving motor and back to the sump, or for conducting fluid from said pump discharge through said propulsion motor only, and in the opposite direction through the latter, and back to the sump while interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, and means for connecting said pump discharge to the supply connection of said reel driving motor and connecting the exhaust connection of said reel driving motor to the sump While no uid passes through said propulsion motor.

'7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump having an intake and a discharge, a driving motor .for said pump, a conductor for conducting operating medium to said driving motor, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, a connection from said sump to the intake of said pump, and means for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge of said pump through said propulsion motor in one direction and then through Said reel driving motor, so that the uid flows through said motors in series, and then back to the sump, or for conducting fluid from said pump discharge past said reel driving motor and in the opposite direction through said propulsion motor and back to the sump, While interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means including a valve having automatic controlling means for positioning it to effect such series flow when fluid is supplied in said one direction to said propulsion motor, and having manual means for moving it to connect the supply and exhaust connections of the reel driving motor While iluid iioW to said propulsion motor continues in said one direction.

8. In an ap-paratus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a plurality of pumps each having an intake and a discharge, driving means for said pumps, a conductor for conducting operating medium to the driving means for said pumps, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, connections from said sump to the intakes of said pumps, and means, including operator and flow controlled valves, for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge of either of said pumps through said propulsion motor in one direction and then, in proportions determined by the quantity that the operation of said reel driving motor will take, past the reel driving motor and back to the sump and through said reel driving motor, so that the iiuid flows through said motors in series, and then back to the sump, or for conducting uid from either of said pump discharges past said reel driving motor and in the opposite direction through said propulsion motor and back to the sump, while interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a plurality of pumps each having an intake and discharge, driving means for said pumps, a conductor for conducting operating medium to the driving means for said pumps, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, connections from said sump to the intakes of said pumps, and means for selectively conducting iluid from the discharge of either of said pumps through said propulsion motor in one direction and then through said reel driving motor so that the lluid oWs through said motors in series and then back to the sump or for conducting uid from either of said pump discharges past said reel driving motor and in the opposite direction through said propulsion motor and back to the sump, While interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means including means for automatically by-passing, past the reel driving motor, all or a part of the fluid passing said propulsion motor on its Way to said reel driving motor, in accordance with the operation of said reel driving motor.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a plurality of pumps each having an intake and discharge, driving means for said pumps, a conductor for conducting operating medium to the driving means for said pumps, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, connections from said sump to the intakes of said pumps, and means for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge of either or both of said pumps through said propulsion motor in one direction and then through said reel driving motor so that the fluid flows through said motors in series and then back to the sump or for conducting uid from either or both of said pump discharges past said reel driving motor and in the opposite direction through said propulsion motor and back to the sump, while interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means including means for automatically by-passing, past the reel driving motor, all or a part of the uid passing said propulsion motor on its way to said reel driving motor, in accordance With the operation of said reel driving motor.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a plurality -of pumps each having an intake and discharge, driving means for said pumps, a conductor for conductfspsafoce 'ing operating medium `to the driving means for said pumps, a reel forsaid conductor, a hydraulic Vdriving motor for said reel having supply and eX- `haust connections, a sump, connections from said sump to the intakes of said pumps, and means :for selectively conducting fluid from the discharge vof either or both of said pumps through said propulsion motor in one direction and then through said reel driving motor so that the fluid-flows through said motorsv in series and then back to the sump or for conducting fluid from either or both of said pump discharges past said reel driving motor and in the opposite direction through said propulsion motor andy bach to the sump, while interconnecting 'the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last Amentioned means includingY manually controlled means for Icy-passing past said reel driving motor all of the fluid on its way thereto through said propulsion' motor.

y12. In an apparatus of the character described, the-combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor conducting operating medium to said driving motor, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel, and means for effecting the delivery of operatingfluid to said propelling motor and to said reel driving motor including meansfor causing operating yiiuid to flow `througl'i both of the same simultaneously 'to eect winding in of said conductor While said portable base is `moving in a direction towards which said conductor extends from said reel, said last mentioned means includf ing valve means controllable by thev fluid which it controls and having oppositely facing areas subjected to such iiuid to eiect changes in valve positioning and having also operator controllable operating means for interrupting winding in operation of said reel driving motor while movement of said portable base in the same direction continues.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor conducting operating medium to said driving motori, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel, and meansy for effecting the delivery of operating fluid to said propulsion motor and to said reel driving motor including means for causing operating fluid to now through both of the same Simultaneously to effect winding in of said conductor While said portable base is moving ina direction towards which said conductor extends from said reel, and means governed by the resistance to winding in of said conductor for interrupting winding in operation of said reel driving motor while movement of said portable base in the same direction continues, the rst of the last two means mentioned including a uid actuated valve and the other of said last two means mentioned including means for yieldingly resisting movement of said valve beyond a predetermined position oi the latter.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor conducting operating medium to said driving motor, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having opposite sides, and means for delivering operating fluid from said vpump'to said `propulsion motor and to said reel Vdriving motor simultaneously to effect winding-in of said conductor while said portable base is moving in a direction towardswhich said conductor extends from said reel, including means for automatically enabling said reel driving motor to be driven as a pump and reverse the flow of fluid therethrough in the event that paying out oi' said conductor is necessitated by continued base movement in such direction including a casing having a bore, conduit means connecting spaced points in said bore with the opposite sides of said reel driving motor, a valve in said bore movable between opposite extreme positions, and further conduits in said casing constituting alternative fiuid supply connections for said bore and each acting as a discharge from said bore when the other acts as a supply connection, said valve having peripheral means for serving for the passage oi iiuid flowing between the opposite sides of said reel driving motor-in each of said valves opposite extreme positions in said bore, said valve in one of the opposite eXtreme positions thereof connecting the opposite sides of the reel driving motor with each other and permitting flow between said conduits which constitute alternative fluid supply connections and in the other extreme position thereof establishing connections between said conduits through the reel driving motor and in by-pass relation to the latter.

1.5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor conducting operating medium tosaid driving motor, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel, andvmeans for eiecting the delivery of operating fluid to said propulsion motor and to said reel driving motor including means for causing operating fluid to ilow through both of the same simultaneously to eect winding in of said conductor while said portable base is mov.-

- ing in a direction towards which said conductor extends from said reel, and means including a valve having an uncounterb'alanced pressure area subjected to fluid passing to said reel driving motor for automatically enabling said reel driving motor to be driven as a pump and reverse the ow of iluid therethrough in the event that paying out of said conductor is necessitated by continued base movement in such direction.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable blase, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump having an intake and a discharge, driving means for said pump, a conductor vconducting operating medium to said pump driving means, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, a connection from said sump to the intake of said pump, and means for selectively conducting iluid from the discharge of said pump in series through said motors and back to the sump or for conducting fluid from said pump discharge through said propulsion motor only, but in the opposite direction from that in which the fluid flows when passing in series through said motors, and back to the sump, while interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of said reel driving motor, said last mentioned means including a valve having positions in which it respectively (a) conducts fluid from the discharge of the pump to the reel driving motor and connects the exhaust of the reel driving motor to the sump, (b) connects the discharge of the pump with the sump when the reel driving motor is stalled, and (c) connects with the sump both the discharge of the pump and the discharge of the reel driving motor when the latter is driven backwards and caused to act as a pump by tension on the conductor, said valve having associated with it means for increasingly opposing its movement as it moves successively to said positions, means for subjecting a surface on said valve to the uid pressures against which said pump discharges, and conduit means formed on said valve for effecting said second and third mentioned connections.

17. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a portable base, propelling means for said base including a reversible hydraulic propulsion motor, a pump having an intake and a discharge, driving means for said pump, a conductor conducting operating medium to said pump driving means, a reel for said conductor, a hydraulic driving motor for said reel having supply and exhaust connections, a sump, a connection from said sump to the intake of said pump, and means for selectively (la) interconnecting the supply and exhaust connections of the reel driving motor and (1b) effecting connections for the flow of fluid from the pump discharge through the propulsion motor only for causing rotation of the latter in one direction, or (2a) effecting connections for the now of uid from the pump discharge in series through the propulsion motor and the reel driving motor to effect rotation of the former in the other direction and of the latter in a winding direction, and (2b) effecting, in accordance with variations in resistance to drive of said reel driving motor, the passage through the reel driving motor of all the uid traversing the propulsion motor or the passage of a less quantity of fluid through the reel driving motor than passes through the propulsion motor, and having the rest by-pass the real driving motor, said means including a valve casing having connections with the supply and exhaust connections of the reel driving motor and connections each serving for the delivery of fluid in one direction and, while the other so serves, serving for the passage of uid from said valve casing, and a valve in said casing selectively connecting the supply and exhaust connections of the reel driving motor with each other, or connecting the reel driving motor between said other connections, and further having thereon a conduit for interconnecting said other connections while the reel driving motor is connected between said other connections.

18. In combination, a portable base having thereon a propulsion motor, a reel, and a reel driving motor, each of said motors hydraulically operable, a sump, a pump for supplying uid from said sump to said motors, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor for power medium for said pump driving motor Wound on said reel, means for conducting fluid from said pump to said propulsion motor, and, in inversely varying quantities, determined by the resistance to reel rotation, through said reel driving motor or past the same to the sump, and means for at will causing all of said fluid to by-pass said reel driving motor.

19. In combination, a portable base having thereon a propulsion motor, a reel, and a reel driving motor, each of said motors hydraulically operable, a sump, a pump for supplying iluid from said sump to said motors, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor for power medium for said pump driving motor wound on said reel, and means for conducting fluid 'from said pump to said propulsion motor, and, in inversely varying quantities, through said reel driving motor or past said reel driving motor to the sump including a control valve having spaced fluidconducting means thereon for the fluid passing through the reel driving motor and past the same to the sump.

20. In combination, a portable base having thereon a propulsion motor, a reel, and a reel driving motor, each of said motors hydraulically operable, a sump, a pump for supplying fluid from said sump to said motors, a driving motor for said pump, a conductor for power medium for said pump driving motor wound on said reel, and means, including a valve having thereon means for conducting fluid in separate streams to the reel driving motor and to the sump and means for rendering said valve responsive to the pressure of the latter stream, for conducting fluid from said pump to said propulsion motor, and, in inversely varying quantities, through said reel driving motor or past the same to the sump.

' HARRY H. VANDERZEE.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,045,903 Smith Dec. 3, 1912 2,112,466 Maloon Mar. 29, 1938 2,209,608 Nye July 30, 1940 2,229,086 Joy Jan. 21, 1941 2,292,278 Lorenz Aug. 4, 1942 2,301,098 Twyman Nov. 3, 1942 2,384,447 Baldwin et al Sept. 11, 1945 2,403,325 Armington July 2, 1946 2,562,881 Baldwin et al Aug. 7, 1951 

